Though this
was not the decision yet the crowd so took it up, and made the welkin
ring with shouts (Le Commerce est libre, vive la liberte) "Commerce is
free, long live liberty."
The Metis then crossed the river to St. Boniface, and after much
cheering, fired several salutes with their guns. It was their victory,
but it was one in which the vast mass of the English-speaking rejoiced
for the bands of tyranny were broken. Judge Thom, under instructions
from Governor Simpson, never acted as Recorder again, but was simply
Secretary of the Court, and another reigned in his stead. After this the
Court was largely without authority, and as has been said the rescue of
prisoners was not an infrequent occurrence in the future life of the
Settlement.
CHAPTER XXI.
OFF TO THE BUFFALO.
Alexander Ross was a Scottish Highlander, who came to Glengarry in
Canada, quite a century ago, joined Astor's expedition, went around Cape
Horn and in British Columbia rose to be an officer in the Northwest
Company. He married the daughter of an Indian Chief at Okanagan, came
over the Rocky Mountains, and was given by Sir George Simpson a free
gift of a farm, where Ross and James Streets are now found in Winnipeg.
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